Cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics cookies to help us improve it. We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them or accept our recommended settings. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

Options
Necessary cookies enable core functionality on our website. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.
We use marketing cookies to personalise your visit to our website and show you tailored advertising based on your likes and interests.
We use analytics cookies to monitor visitor behaviour patterns and improve our website performance.

Your preferences have been set. If you wish to change your preferences, you may do so on our cookies page.

Search My Trust
Join now
Join
Close

Looking for places? Use our place search to find them by name, town or postcode.

See all stories
13 Aug 2021

Lightning strikes 100-year-old tree at Ben Lomond

Written by James Hutchinson, Ranger
A close-up view of the forked upper branches of an oak tree. A white scar runs all the way down the left branch.
Lightning strike damage to an oak tree at Ben Lomond
Following a recent thunderstorm, our ranger discovered some damage to one of the oak trees at Ben Lomond.

Adding to the dramatic landscape of Ben Lomond, we had an incredible thunderstorm over the mountain recently, which saw multiple lightning strikes.

A lightning strike travels at over 220,000mph and can heat the air around it to 25,000°C, five times hotter than the surface of the sun!

Unfortunately, a conduit for a forked lightning strike was one of our 100-year-old oak trees. The electrical charge travelled just beneath the bark of the tree along a layer of sap and water. As the electricity passed along this layer, it superheated the moisture, producing rapid expansion and causing the bark to literally tear off the trunk. We found fragments of the oak up to 10 metres away – a reminder of the tremendous power of nature.

A pile of shards of oak bark lie in front of a slender oak tree with a white scar running up the trunk. A tall, slender oak tree in a woodland, with a long strip of exposed bark running the full length down.

As there is only damage to one side of the tree, we’re hopeful it will survive. And what a scar it’ll have to show for it!

Caring for this woodland at Ben Lomond forms part of our crucial conservation work at this much-loved place. This summer our team have been busy with projects to protect against vegetation erosion, widening and improving the woodland path, as well as enhancing the main path to the summit.

We wouldn’t be able to do this work without the support of our members and supporters of the Footpath Fund. We’re delighted that people are able to enjoy Scotland’s beautiful wild spaces once again. Our famous peaks and landscapes are attracting more visitors than ever, and we want to ensure that these landscapes remain protected. As a charity, we rely on donations to achieve this.

I love this place, I leave no trace

Donate now

Featured Places

A view looking up to the summit of Ben Lomond with a bright blue sky and white streaky clouds in the background. Lower down, a layer of cloud lies on top of the lower peaks.
Place

Ben Lomond

Scotland’s most southerly Munro offers spectacular views of Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley

Read next

A winding path through some sparse woodland.

Discover our Hidden History Trails

Come and explore Scotland’s secret past!

A man works on a rocky mountain summit, with Loch Lomond seen in the distance far below. He uses a sharp axe-like tool to work at the path edge.

A day in the life of a ... Senior Ranger

We meet Alasdair Eckersall from Ben Lomond for a behind-the-scenes glance at the important role he plays in caring for this special place.

A view of the mountain Ben Lomond, from the west side of Loch Lomond. A large area of the lower slopes has been marked out with a red line. Pine trees and bracken grow in the foreground.

Woodland regeneration project at Ben Lomond

Work is nearing completion on an exciting woodland regeneration project on the lower Ptarmigan slopes of Ben Lomond.

Two glossy black ravens perch on a wooden log, both looking to the left. There is woodland in the background.

Wildlife spotter’s guide: Ben Lomond

The rich variety of natural habitats at Ben Lomond mean a wide range of Scottish wildlife can be seen throughout the year.

Read more stories on

Back to top